


Agent Or Princess

by My_Marvel_Musings



Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-21
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2019-11-26 11:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18179756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Marvel_Musings/pseuds/My_Marvel_Musings
Summary: Reader is a former Marine now CIA agent who works alongside Everett Ross, whom she’s harbored feelings for. She is with him on the mission in South Korea that ends up going sideways. King T'Challa takes her to Wakanda with Ross, only to find out Reader’s long lost brother, Killmonger, is there as well. Now she must decide how to face her brother and figure out if she should tell the man she loves who she really is.Requested by Rosio4599





	1. Korean Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Everett Ross head to an underground casino in South Korea to ‘buy’ some vibranium from a dangerous source.

You were in the bathroom putting the finishing touches on your disguise for that night. Stacy, the other female agent sharing your room, looked on enviously as you finished the last of your make-up and took a step back to look at yourself in the hotel mirror.

"Ugh, I can't believe you'll get to be in the room when all the action goes down while I have to man the van. How did you get so lucky?"

You smoothed out your dark red dress and double checked that your thigh holster wasn't visible. "C'mon, Stacy. Like I wanna be within fifty yards of Klaue. That man gives me the creeps. If it wasn't for Ross volunteering me as tribute, I'd swap you places."

"Sure you would," Stacy now had a smile like a cat that ate the canary. "Like you and Ross have ever been more than ten feet away from each other during a mission."

You turned away so she couldn't see the blush threatening to creep onto your face. "That's because he's afraid I'll do something stupid again, like I did in Germany."

Stacy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well I gotta agree with Ross on this one. What the fuck made you think you could go hand to hand with the Winter Soldier?"

"In case you forgot, I was a marine before I was CIA. I've fought worse odds and won."

"You've also fought worse odds and run."

In response, you tossed a pillow at her. "Hey, I held my own pretty damn good."

"Until he tossed you like a paper cup into Tony Stark.”

You grabbed your hand bag and began to double check for your supplies. “Speaking of which, have we gotten any update from him?”

“Do you really think he’d know where Cap and crew ran off to?” Stacy leaned against a dresser as she watched you.

You purse your lips. “Maybe not exactly where, but you can’t tell me that one of the smartest people on the planet doesn’t know how to get a hold of his former teammates if he really wanted to.”

“So Stark lied?”

“More like omit. And frankly, I’m not really surprised.”

“Why don’t you tell Ross this?”

“Tell him what? That I have a hunch that the man who cracked SHIELD’s firewall when he first joined the Avengers is hiding what he knows? How easily do you think we could prove that without Stark’s cooperation?”

Stacy frowned. “Good point.”

Before you two could wonder more, there was a sharp knock at the door. "That's probably our fearless leader."

As if to prove you right, Everett Ross called through the door. "_____? Stacy? Are you two ready to go? We need to get set up before Klaue even gets within five miles."

"On our way, boss," you called out as you closed your purse.

"Boss, huh?" Stacy whispered. "Tell me, do you call him 'sir'... you know, when it's only you two."

You hit her harder with the pillow this time. "Get your head out of the gutter. Ross is my superior officer. It's strictly professional between us."

"Sure it is," she smirked at you now. "That's why he damn near lost his mind when he heard you fought the Winter Soldier."

"That was concern for his agent, nothing more." You hurried past her and pulled open the door, surprised to see Everett still standing there in a light grey suit and black tie. You couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked despite your shock. "Oh! Agent Ross, forgive me. I was not expecting you to be standing there."

His eyes widen momentarily at your body hugging dress before he cleared his throat and composed himself. "Sorry, Agent ____. But we are on a tight schedule and we need to get you wired before we enter the casino."

“Of course.” You and Stacy followed close behind to the elevator and then out of the hotel. Towards the back of the parking lot sat the van Stacy would occupy with another agent and the two cars that would take you, Ross, and two other agents to the casino.

The van door slide open and Josh climbed out, tangled in several wires. Stacy rolled her eyes and started to free him.

“How the hell do you manage to do this every damn time?” Stacy grumbled.

“Yeah, Josh. You’re like the human version of headphones. Stick you somewhere small and you end up as one giant knot.”

Josh just stuck his tongue out. “Less bitching, more helping.”

“Hell no. Its way more fun to watch you struggle.” As Stacy tried to untangle one of the many knots, you stepped past into the van and grabbed a handful of communicators. You held your hand out and the other three agents reached for their ear pieces. Stacy noticed something odd.

“You got married, Ross? Why didn’t you tell us?”

Confusion crossed his face as you looked down to see a ring on his hand that hadn’t been there back in Germany. Your heart broke a little, but you reminded yourself that he was technically your boss and you two had only ever been colleagues. Still, whoever she is was a lucky bitch.

“What, uh, what are you talking about, Agent Miller?”

“She’s referring to the wedding band on your finger, boss.” You commented quietly as you adjusted your ear piece and fix the corresponding piece on your bracelet.

Everett looked down at his hand and you saw a light blush come to his face. He cleared his throat. “Uh, no. It was recommended that I pose as a married man to make it seem like I was less of a threat. If I have a family, it would be perceived that I would not do anything dangerous or stupid.”

“That's 'cause _____ already cornered the market on stupid and dangerous.” Stacy flashed you a look and continued to work on Josh.

“Trust me, I plan to be nowhere near Klaue unless absolutely necessary.” You still hadn’t looked at Everett, this time though, to hide your relief at him not being married.

Suddenly, a small box was thrust into your line of sight. You looked up to see it was Everett holding it. "The straws were picked and you're the other half of the subterfuge."

You raised an eyebrow and took the box. Inside was a beautiful ring. "Well, the government must have upped our budget. This cubic zirconia looks almost real."

Stacy snorted as she pulled the remaining wires off of Josh. "Maybe one day you'll get the real deal."

"Yeah, as soon as I'm able to carve time out of my secret agent life to actually date." You slipped the ring on and the added weight felt weird. You weren't big on jewelry as it was never practical to wear during a mission unless it was part of your disguise. Except for a ring you wore around your neck ever since your father had died. "Are you done with the human headphones? We really should get going."

"Ha ha." Josh muttered as he crawled back into the back of the van. Stacy closed the door on him and hopped into the driver's seat.

You and Everett piled into one car while the remaining two agents took the other one. A short drive later, you were walking down a narrow street filled with fish markets, the van parked a few blocks back. You took point for the four agents and smiled at the older Korean lady as you walked up to the underground casino.

"Hello Sophia," you purred in perfect Korean. "How's the action tonight?"

Sophia looked at you carefully and then at the small group behind you. "What is this? Since when do you bring friends?"

"Be kind! One of them is my husband. He got tired of being left behind."

She eyed Everett and then gave you a knowing smile. "Weapons?"

You gave a half shrug and she narrowed her eyes at you.

"Ay, don't be that way! We're meeting someone and he worries for my safety." You looked back at Everett and smiled. "You know how men are."

This time she let out a small giggle and gestured with her head towards a hanging tarp. "Have fun."

"Thank you." You gave her a brief peck on the check before you led your crew inside.

"So what was that all about?" Everett offered you his arm after you passed by the metal detectors - which beep, but security ignored.

The two agents behind you split off to the right as you and Everett descended down the stairs to the game floor. "Oh, just working my charm so we wouldn't get hassled about our weapons. You know, my job."

Everett smirked at you and escorted you over to the bar. "Just because I can't speak Korean doesn't mean I don't know you were talking about me."

"Perhaps we were." You placed the drink order and handed Everett his glass. "But wasn't that the point of making me your partner during this? We've worked together for so long that we're comfortable enough around each other that us being 'married' doesn't seem too weird to people."

"Except for those who may think you've settled." His sarcastic voice didn't quite match the pain you could have sworn you saw in his eyes. A mistake, clearly. There was no way he felt the same way you did about him.

"The only ones who would think that would be our colleagues. You know, 'cause you're such a pain in the ass." You winked at Everett and walked off to change some money into chips. 

Everett was right behind you and you could feel his breath on your neck as he leaned around to change some money as well. "Look who's talking. Do you know how exhausting it is to keep track of whether or not you're going to die during a mission?"

You willed your body not to melt into a puddle at the closeness. "No more exhausting than any other agent I would imagine."

"Hmmm." Was his only response as you both took a spot at a roulette table. 

You placed your respective bets when suddenly you felt eyes on you. Looking up, you made eye contact with the last person you expected to see tonight.

"Don't freak out, Ross. But the king of Wakanda is here."


	2. The Fight For Klaue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Everett deal with the unexpected visitors from Wakanda as they try to meet with Klaue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as a side note: the three fics I'm writing right now I will try to have completed by April 14th. If you've read enough of my stories you know on top of Marvel I'm a huge Game of Thrones fan (books and show) and once the final season starts, my brain will become mush. Plus I'll be crying into a bottle of wine (two when Endgame comes out).
> 
> But requests will remain open! Request in the comment section of any of my works (sorry I don't have my request page anymore *side eyes whoever reported that. Freaking killjoy.*). Or go to my-marvel-musings on Tumblr to request there and see my list of who I will already write for in regards to Marvel (MCU and comic book wise). You can also request for someone not on my list and I'll see if I can make it happen.
> 
> Thanks everyone!

You immediately excused yourself from the roulette table and made a spot at the craps table behind Everett. With a careful ear, you listened as King T'Challa walked over to Everett and began to speak quietly.

"Agent Ross," the king greeted.

"Your Highness," came Everett's reply.

"You are buying from Klaue." Of course he would know about this whole thing. Wakanda took their vibranium very seriously and Klaue had made off with a great deal of it. And your father...

You shook off the thought so you could concentrate on the conversation behind you.

"What I'm doing or not doing on behalf of the U.S. Government is none of your concern." Everett retorted. "Now whatever the hell you're up to, do me a favor? Stay out of my way."

Out of the corner of your eye you could see T'Challa smile at Everett's attempt at asserting his authority over a king. The two of them exchanged a few more words before the king moved to stand by you at the craps table. Keeping your breathing even, you made sure your face was pointed away. While in Germany, you had managed to keep your distance for the most part from the king except when the Winter Soldier escaped the CIA headquarters. When everything had calmed down, T'Challa looked at you as if he was experiencing Deja vous. There couldn't possibly be any way he would know the truth about you, but to keep the risk down you had avoided him at all costs. It would not be as easy here when you were both after the same thing.

T'Challa placed another bet and glanced over in your direction. You were gathering your winnings and your drink to leave for the bar again. "Forgive me if I am being rude, but I feel as though we have met before."

You kept your voice low. "You have, Your Highness. Back in Germany."

"Ah yes. You were the one to hold their own against the Winter Soldier the longest."

"Yes. Sorry we could not apprehend him for you at the time."

"Do not worry yourself. Once I found out he was no longer responsible for my father's murder, I only wanted to find a way to help him."

His words struck you as odd and you looked at his face. The way he worded his sentence, you would swear he already was helping the Winter Soldier. "You want to help him?"

"If he can be found." He avoided your eyes for the briefest moment and your suspicions were confirmed, which only confused you more. "What Hydra did to him is unforgivable and if there is a way to undo it, should we not try?"

"You're more generous than most people would be."

"I am only doing what should be expected of people." He paused. "You know, you reminded me of my sister."

 _Crap_ , you mentally cursed. "How so, Your Highness?"

"You have the same spirit as she does. And I must say you do look a little like her as well.”

 _Crap, crap, crap!_ “I shall take it as the highest compliment that I could pass as Wakanda royalty. But if you’ll excuse me, I need to freshen up my drink.”

He bowed to you and moved so you could leave. Before you were past the table, you felt a hand on your arm.

“Are you ok?” Everett whispered in your ear.

“Of course. Why?” You turned your head slightly and was rendered speechless for a moment when you saw you were only inches from his face.

“Oh, just that you seemed a little flustered by the king back there. Do you need a wingman?” He joked, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Your stomach rolled at the idea, but you managed to put on a smirk instead of a grimace. “Trying to set up your wife? What would people say?”

“Hey, you’re the one who said they never get to date!”

“Well, thanks for your concern, Ross, but the king is not my type.” Everett opened his mouth, but you cut him off. “Better get on your game, boss. Klaue just walked in. With enough men to storm a castle.”

Everett looked up just in time to see Klaue move to stand in front of both of you. His grip on your arm tightened and you moved so you side was pressed up against him. Klaue's eyes honed in on you in a heartbeat.

"Well, that is quite the entourage with you," quipped Everett. "You got a mixtape coming out?"

Klaue's face lit up. "Yeah, actually. Hey," he turned to face one of his goons, "go a grab a copy out of-"

"Please, don't make me listen to your music." Everett begged. "I just mean you got a lot of people in your group."

Klaue laughed. "You think they're for you? I can handle this all on my own. You, however, look like you've asked for backup."

His eyes now lingered on you again. "I'm just passing through. Don't want to get in the middle of all this male bonding."

"Well, when all this is over, maybe I'll come find you." 

"How 'bout you don't and say you did?" Everett seemed reluctant to let go of your arm, instead subtly moving his body in front of yours and Klaue noticed.

"Don't feel like sharing?"

"Just leave her out of this." Everett's voice turned hard.

"It's ok, honey." You purred out, remembering to keep your cool and your fake persona. You placed your free hand on his shoulder and leaned in. "The big bad wolf can't touch me. Come find me afterwards."

Before he could protest, you quickly pressed a kiss to his cheek. He stiffened for a moment and muttered your name. "_____?"

You breathed into his ear, "don't lose focus as to why we are here. We need to get that vibranium and Klaue before the king gets involved. I'll be at the bar. Remember, I'm just your loving wife that's completely clueless as to what you are doing."

Everett's eyes met yours and he gave a small nod before pressing a kiss to your own cheek. He spoke up so Klaue could hear. "Don't go too far. This business shouldn't take too long."

You gave him a smile and waltzed over to the bar to grab another drink. You casually raised your hand to brush a strand of hair back and spoke into your communicator in the process. "Heads up. Klaue is finally here."

"Yeah, we saw your little play over by the tables. You and boss man look so cuddly!" Stacy cooed.

"You know, I would hate to have to reach through my earpiece and kill you. And just as a reminder, it's not just the two of us on the comms."

"Oh, I know."

"Stacy-" But you were cut off at the sound of a loud crash. Looking over, you could see a man had fallen onto one of the gaming tables. Suddenly Klaue had his gun out and Everett couldn't seem to get out of the way fast enough. 

You reached for your thigh holster to pull out your gun and aimed. One of Klaue's guards saw you and pulled his boss out of the way in time. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw that Everett had managed to hide behind a pillar. The guard came at your without hesitation and you disarmed him without even trying. Suddenly, a blur of green was fighting next to you. It was a woman that had been sitting next to you at the bar. She fought with such precision and ferocity that you knew without question that she was a trained fighter. Part of T'Challa's group, no doubt. You may never have seen Wakanda fighters in person, but your father had told you enough stories to know.

Without meaning too, the two of you ending up fighting together against Klaue's men while Everett shot from behind the pillar and T'Challa chased after Klaue. There was an explosion and T'Challa fell off the upper balcony onto a table. The woman ran past to chase after Klaue while you and Everett dashed over to the king.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" You pulled him up into a sitting position.

"Murderer," he muttered in Xhosa. "I will get him."

"What?" Everett asked.

T'Challa pushed himself up to run after Klaue and his men. You pulled Everett off the ground. "C'mon! He's going after them! We gotta get to Klaue first!"

Everett raced out the door with you on his heels. When he pulled out the keys to the car, you snatched them away. "Hey!"

"Listen, you're a great agent, but sometimes you drive like an old lady without her glasses. You need to learn to drive like you used to fly. In the meantime, get in."

Everett smirked at you before climbing into the car to chase after Klaue.


	3. No Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After capturing Klaue, Reader and Everett fight with T'Challa over who gets to take custody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I'm not even going to attempt to recreate that epic car chase from the movie. My writing isn't that awesome and plus, for the agents it had to be hella boring as they were mostly following the trail of destruction.

"I can see you! I can! I can see all of you!" Giggled Klaue as he leered towards the two-way mirror. Well, the best he could considering he was duct taped to the chair. He had his prosthetic arm taken away after he fled from the casino and there hadn't been a way to cuff him to the chair.

You stood on the other side of the mirror next to Everett, T'Challa, and his bodyguard, Okoye. At least, that's what you had told Everett she was. But your knowledge of Wakanda told you it was more complex than that. Nakia, the woman you had fought with in the casino, was waiting in the front room of the station.

Shortly after arriving at the Korean police department, you and Everett changed into a set of street clothes you kept in the van for times such as this. You kept the ring your father gave you hung around your neck and under your shirt. Looking over Klaue's prosthetic arm while Everett talked to T'Challa, you could see that it doubled as a weapon and you knew exactly where he had gotten it from. Part of you still loved your father - Bast rest his soul - but part of you was still very angry at him for betraying his country.

Everett and T'Challa were still arguing quietly over who would get custody of Klaue once this was all done. While you understood that technically the CIA had dibs, T'Challa had every right to want to get justice for his people. By the time Klaue had switched to singing some song from the 80s, it was established that Everett would go in first and then the king. You barely caught T'Challa patting Everett on the back, sticking something to his shoulder. Glancing at the king, you could see that he hadn't noticed you watching and was too busy talking to Okoye.

Okoye looked back at you and whispered to T'Challa in Xhosa, "what do you think of his partner?"

He spared a glance back at you and flashed a smile. "She is very smart and a good agent. I remember her well from Germany."

"Is it me, or does she look a little familiar?"

Years of being a marine and a CIA agent taught you to keep your face straight when people didn't know you spoke their language. But you felt the rising panic in your stomach. Could they know the truth, just by looking at you? You had always felt you looked more like your mother and your twin had taken after your father. But there was always room for doubt.

T'Challa glanced back at you again. "She does, indeed. Almost a little bit like Shuri."

Panic rose higher inside you and luckily broken with Everett stepping out of the interrogation room. But only for a moment before he began to question the Wakandans. 

"Ev- er, Agent Ross. Is this really important right now? How much vibranium his country may or may not have? We have a murder/arms dealer in custody, we need to stay focused."

Everett looked at you with a mixture of respect and hurt. He was hoping you'd be on his side in this matter. But before he could reprimand you for technically speaking out to your boss in front of a king, Nakia burst in from the other room.

She held up her hands to show she was unarmed. "Something's going on outside."

An explosion rocked the interrogation room and you looked in the mirror in time to see a man with an African mask enter the room. As well as the automatic rifle in his hands. Before Everett could even form a warning, you shoved him hard on the chest knocking him to the ground. His eyes widen in shock as he watched you turn at lightning speed and tackle Nakia to the ground. 

Unimaginable pain shot through your entire body. You had be hit by bullets before - occupational hazard of being in the military - but this was on a different level. There was no doubt you wouldn't survive this wound. Nakia looked at you in awe for saving her life, but you couldn't help but also notice the fear in her eyes. You felt the back of your shirt being ripped open so your wound could be looked at better.

"____!" There was no mistaking the panic in Everett's voice. "Stay with me! Can you hear me, ____?! Stay with me!"

You desperately wanted to answer him, but your body refused to cooperate. One eye flicked upward and you could see the unbridled fear and anguish in Everett's face as he looked down at you.

Nakia looked over at T'Challa approaching with Okoye to examine the aftermath of the attack. "She just jumped right in front of me. I don't think she'll survive; it hit the spine."

"No, no, no, no. Not her." You barely heard Everett whisper above you. T'Challa looked at you and then at Everett before speaking to Nakia.

"Give me one of your kimoyo beads." She handed it over without hesitation and he placed it in the wound on your back. "This will keep her stable."

Everett watched as you let out a sigh and your eyes closed. He quickly reached for your neck and was slightly calmed by the steady beat of your pulse. "Wh-what did that do?"

T'Challa struggled with how to explain to Ross the level of advance technology his people possessed. Instead, he addressed your situation. "Give her to us. We can save her."

"You can?!" Everett looked at him like T'Challa just told him he had a magical elf in his pocket. "How? It hit her spine."

"My king," Okoye began in Xhosa, "we cannot take her! The CIA-"

"I cannot just let her die, Okoye." He sighed and then spoke to Everett in English. "Do not worry. We have the means to save her."

Everett didn't even hesitate. "I'm coming, too."

"I'm sorry but-"

"Listen, I don't care about whatever half-ass excuse you're about to give me. I  _need_ to go with her, to make sure she's ok. It's not up for debate."

T'Challa took one look at the fire in Everett's eyes and knew this was an argument he wasn’t going to win. And time was of the essence if they were going to save you. He quickly barked an order to the other two with him and in mere moments they had you on a stretcher and onto their jet. Everett looked around the jet in awe as he held your hand. The minimal contact between you two did not go unnoticed by T'Challa.

"You've clearly been hiding a lot from the rest of the world." Everett stated as you all flew to Wakanda.

"It has been a tradition of our people to hide who we are since we first founded Wakanda. It was to protect our people and our way of live."

Everett nodded his head. "I don't agree with the decision but I can understand it. But just.... how advanced is your country?"

"You will see soon enough." The king nodded towards your linked hands. "I promise, she will be just fine. I know just the person to save her."

"She..." Everett cleared his throat and rubbed his thumb over the back of your hand. "She's one of my best agents, always my partner in covert missions. One of the few people I know I can trust with my life."

"I'm sure she feels the same way. It's clear that you two share a special bond. Nakia told me that right before ____ saved her, she had pushed you out of the way."

Everett gave a tired smile. "Yeah, probably have a hand-sized bruise on my chest for the next few days."

T'Challa chuckled and excused himself to speak with Nakia and Okoye. The two women were arguing quietly with each other but stopped the moment their king walked up. "I know you are having doubts about us bringing the two agents-"

Okoye interrupted him. "I could understand _____. She saved Nakia's life. But why the other one? We have no guarantee either person will remain quiet about what they have seen!"

"There was no choice with Agent Ross. It is clear he is in love with ____, even if he has not admitted it to himself yet. I would not have been able to keep him away. And I understand how he feels. If it had been Nakia, I would have done everything in my power to stay with her until she was well."

Both women glanced over to see Everett still holding your hand but was now bent over and whispering to you. Okoye frowned. "I still do not approve, but I can see what you mean. But we are still returning to Wakanda with two American CIA operatives and no Klaue. We have failed in our mission. And furthermore, where can we even take ____?"

T'Challa smiled at his friends. "Where else? But to Shuri."


	4. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everett awaits anxiously for Reader's recovery. Meanwhile, Shuri discovers the hidden ring and asks Reader what it means.

Everett paced back and forth in the room he was given to stay in as he waiting for you to wake up from your surgery. He had been snuck in and informed that he was not allowed to leave the room unless escorted out. No one could know that he or you were there and precautions had to be taken to ensure your safety. He hadn't even been able to see where they had taken you, only told that you would be in the most capable hands Wakanda had.

This was all his fault. He should have been the one to push you to the ground and take that bullet for Nakia. Instead Everett had to watch you writhe on the floor in pain and pray you wouldn't die on him. He had never felt so helpless and useless before until now. It was his job to protect you, to keep you safe and he failed. Himself and you, and he didn't know if he could live with that second part.

The thought brought Everett up short. No, it was his job to keep all his agents safe. He would feel this responsible no matter which agent had been hit. It was part of the job and not the least bit unusual to feel somewhat responsible when one of his subordinates was injured during a mission. And yet, the idea that he almost lost you today just wouldn't leave him. It haunted his dreams and kept him from sleep. Everytime he closed his eyes, all he could feel was you shaking in his arms from the pain. All he could see was the fear in your eyes. And it gave him an overwhelming desire to make sure he never saw that look on your face ever again.

Everett ran a hand over his face. He needed to get it together. One would think he had almost lost a lover not an agent... not a friend. He had known you for the past five years and he could safely say that not only were you one of the few people he could trust, but he could call a friend. And yet, the word friend hadn't felt right. Yeah, he clearly trusted you with his life but when he stopped to think about it he really didn't know much about your past. Just that you had lived in foster care after the age of 12 and that you were a former marine. The CIA background check didn't turn up anything unusual so there hadn't been a need to dig further. You never talked about your family, your friends, or even your dating life, but he guessed there had to have been someone at some point from the way you occasionally held the ring that hung around your neck. Or at least, the way you held it when you were sure no one was watching. It always bothered him: that ring. He wasn't sure as to why. It could easily be a family heirloom, but part of him wondered if it was from an ex-boyfriend. And then his rational side would ask why he even cared if it was.

What was it about you that made him question everything about your partnership? Why had it taken you getting shot to realize you were further under his skin than he had wanted?

The sound of the door opening jolted him out of his thoughts and he looked up. Nakia poked her head in, "you're awake?"

"I haven't been able to sleep since we arrived yesterday. Too wound up and worried."

She nodded her head and opened the door further. "Come. She will be waking up soon and you should be there."

Everett bolted to his feet and chased after Nakia down the many hallways until he was standing in the doorway of an extremely high tech science lab. He still hadn't gotten used to seeing all the many ways Wakandans were using vibranium and now seeing a place where some of the tech was made was blowing his mind. Nakia explained how to find you before walking back the way she had come. The room was clean and well organized, with beautiful artwork decorating the pillar in the middle of the room. Near the bottom of the pillar, there was an opening to show a hospital bed where you laid. He was about to approach you when a voice stopped him.

"Please do not get to close to her table. ____ will wake up when it's time."

Everett looked around the room until he noticed a young lady sitting at a lab table, placing what looked like gems into a black gauntlet. She glanced over at him before continuing on with her work.

"Don't touch anything. My brother will be back soon."

Everett looked back over at you. "Is she- how is she?"

"She will be just fine. Not a scratch or a bruise will be left behind."

He looked back over at the young lady in surprise. "How is that possible? Bullet wounds don't just magically heal overnight."

"They do here. But not with magic, with technology." Before he could question further, a quiet beeping noise caused the young lady to raise her hand to silence him. Everett watched in amazement as she pressed on the bracelet of beads around her wrist causing a projection to appear before them.

"Where is T'Challa, Shuri? His kimoyo beads are switched off!"

Shuri let out a small laugh, "well, we are not attached at the hip, Okoye."

"A man has shown up to the border claiming to have killed Klaue!"

"What?!"

"Wakabi is briginning him to the palace right now."

Shuri made a motion with her free hand and a display of a young man appeared before them. "An outsider?"

"No. A Wakandan."

Everett leaned in. "He's not Wakandan. He's one of ours."

"No, he's not." Both whirled around to find you standing there in your hospital robe, but your eyes were looking past them at the image of the young man. "He's.... he's complicated."

Everett noticed the sadness in your eyes and looked back at the young man on the screen. Of course, he must be the owner of the ring. You had been a marine and the man on the screen was a former Navy SEAL. There was a good chance your paths had crossed before. Shuri instantly grabbed a pile of clothes. 

"Come with me. You need to change and then tell us everything you know about that man." As she pulled you down the hall, she whispered into your ear, "and you can tell me where you stole that ring from."

You felt the blood drain from your face as you tried to keep pace with her pulling you into a room. "It was never stolen. My father gave me that ring."

"Don't lie to me!" She tossed the clothes at you and you barely caught them in time. "That is my grandfather's ring! Only his descendants are allowed to have them! He had two made for his sons."

Taking a deep breath, you set the clothes on a chair and turned away from her. "And in turn, one of the sons had an extra one made when his wife gave birth to twins."

The silence was too much to bear and you carefully looked over your shoulder. Shuri was staring at your with a mixture of shock and denial. Her next question came in Xhosa. "Who are you?"

"_____, daughter of Prince N'Jobu. Sister of N'Jadaka," you finished in English, "who's name is Erik Stevens. The man on the screen."

"Prove it!" You pulled down your lip and she saw the war dog tattoo on the inside.

"Our father gave it to myself and Erik when we were children, shortly after our mother died. He-" you took a shaky breath, "he was so disheartened by the injustice happening in America, that he began to train us at a young age to fight."

"Why? What good would it have done without the help from Wakanda?"

"For that story, I believe the King will need to be in the room. So he can understand the man he is about to face."

Shuri left so you could change and soon you were back in her lab. Everett looked up from talking to her, T'Challa, and Nakia as you walked over to the group. Your eyes met briefly and as if you shared the same thought, rushed to each other for a hug. The embrace gave you a level of comfort you hadn't felt in days. But soon you remembered that you were hugging your boss and pulled away gently.

"Worried about me?" You tried to smirk.

"You keep finding new ways to test death. No wonder my hair's turning grey."

You couldn't help but laugh at that. "And all this time I thought you were just a hard ass. Look at you with a heart you try to hide."

T'Challa cleared his throat and you remembered what you had to tell everyone. "I believe you have said this is yours?"

He held out his hand and dangled your father's ring from the chain you would wear. You nodded your head but refused to take the ring. "It's a long story, Your Grace. Did- did Zuri tell you anything?"

"You know Zuri?"

You gave a small smile, "well, at the time I knew him as Uncle James. But I was there that day your father came to visit. My dad thought I was outside playing like my brother, but I was in the back room trying to find one of my dolls. I heard a commotion and peeked around the corner to see them talking, hear the betrayal..... witness my father's death."

Everett looked over at you in shock. "Whoa, what's going on? _____ what are you talking about? You saw your father die?"

T'Challa glanced at Everett before locking eyes on you. "He doesn't know?"

"No one at the CIA knows who I am. Since I don't have a criminal background, they didn't think it was necessary to look at the past of an orphan." You stood straight as you spoke, but your hands betrayed your nervousness. You couldn't stop clenching and unclenching them. "Everett, my father.... was a..."

He reached over and placed a hand on your shoulder. "Hey, whatever it is you can tell me. You're one of the few people I can trust."

His confession caused your lip to tremble. "You shouldn't and it's my fault you do. Because I'm not who you think I am."

"Are you saying you're a spy?" For a brief moment his hand tightened on your arm.

"No. I'm, uh," you let out a nervous laugh, "I'm royalty."

"What?" Everett's head jerked back. "Royalty?"

You nodded your head and pressed on. "My father was Prince of Wakanda, King T'Chaka's brother. And... he was the one who helped Klaue steal vibranium."

Everett's face went blank from the news. "You- you're the daughter of a prince? Of Wakanda?"

"Yes."

He dropped his hand and ran it over his face. His eyes flashed over to the image of Erik and then back at you. "And him?"

"He's my twin brother. We were split from each other after I was adopted separately from him. I had tried for years to find him, but he changed his name after he was adopted and I lost track of him." You met the king's eyes once more. "Please, Your Grace, whatever you do, don't engage Erik. He was very bitter about our father dying and I highly doubt that's calmed down over the years. Remove him from the country as quickly as you can. Or have me do it. I was one of the few people he would listen to when we were younger."

T'Challa looked you up and down before deciding on a course of action. "Do not worry. I will not enter this meeting lightly, but I must hear him out as to why he has come here. If it be necessary, I will have Nakia bring you to the throne room if he will not listen to reason. But for now, we should have you and Agent Ross placed somewhere safe."

He nodded at Nakia, who took you both down the hall and back to the room Everett had been kept in. "We will not be long, just remain quiet."

She closed the door and left you with the man you loved, whom you had betrayed on a small level. Why was Erik here? And what would happen if he didn't leave? And more importantly, what would happen to you once this was all cleared up?


	5. The Death Of Duty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Everett have a very uncomfortable conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn you Game of Thrones. You have stolen my life.

You sat in a chair, watching Everett pace around the small room. The silence between the two of you kept growing into a chasm you both tried to ignore. Every other pass Everett would glance at you, a mixture of hurt, betrayal, and a small bit of wonder all over his face. You didn’t bother to prod him to talk to you; he would speak when he was ready. This silent brooding was always his way so he wouldn’t say anything rash. Not that that always worked for him.

Instead, your thoughts drifted towards your brother. It had been at least twenty years since you last saw each other but once you saw him on the screen in the lab, you automatically recognized him. He had grown up to look so much like your father, your heart ached to think about it. The last time you had seen each other was in the foster home you had been sent to after your father's death. Erik was understandably angry over the fact that you were getting adopted and he wasn't. Your new family only wanted one child and at the time hadn't seen anything wrong with separating you from him, even if Erik was your twin. Erik looked at you as if you had betrayed him and it took a few years before you forgave your new family. You had tried everything in your power to find Erik, but you kept seeming to miss him. As if he had known you would have been looking. And now here you both where, in your father's home country. Strangers in a strange land, and yet you felt you knew it all the same.

"So, were you ever going to tell anyone?"

Everett's sharp words jostled you out of your memories. You jerked your head up to see his eyes boring into you, the hurt unmistakable. How many people had you hurt unintentionally since the death of your father? Hard to say.

"I'm sorry, boss. You have every right to be mad at me. I hid a vital piece of information. But at the same time, I never really thought it mattered. I had never been to Wakanda until now and I never knew the family that was here. What was the point of bringing it up if I couldn't answer your questions?"

"What questions?" He began to pace again.

Sighing, you shook your head at him. "You know the ones. 'Are you really royalty?' 'Does the Royal Family know you're here?' 'Are you ever going back?' As if I had even been here to begin with. And then there would have been questions about my loyalty."

"Because you hid who you were."

"Because it was necessary. Think how differently you would have treated me in Germany." You licked your lips and then looked up. "You would have tried to use me against T'Challa. Or questioned my loyalty."

Everett opened his mouth to protest, but closed it just as quickly. The silence began to stretch between you two once more before he finally spoke. "Would I have been wrong to do so?"

That almost hurt more than being shot in the back. You blinked as your eyes began to mist over, watching as he tried to wear a path in the floor. "I may be an agent, but I am not a tool for manipulation. And I have never once given you a reason to question my loyalty. Yes, I hid being royalty. But to keep from being treated differently. I'm still the same woman that worked those late night hours trying to find the Winter Soldier, still the same as when I fought him hand-to-hand, still the same one that saved your life yesterday. Still the same damn woman that would storm the gates of Hell if you told me it was necessary for an assignment. My family doesn't change that. It doesn't change me."

Everett tried to play off what you said, tried not to understand that you were very subtly laying out your heart for him. Saying someone would storm a death trap for another agent was the CIA equivalent of saying 'I love you'. Those words weren't just tossed around between agents. But he wasn't a fool; he knew you would never have wanted someone like him even if you weren't a princess. He was older than you by a decade, your boss, and in your words a hard ass. Everett wouldn't get his hopes up over your speech. "We've never asked an agent to storm Hell, nor would we ever."

You locked eyes on Everett and realized that with your brother here, you may no longer be safe. Everett sure as hell wasn't. And if you were about to lose your job, you may as well get everything out now. "I never said anything about doing that for the CIA, Agent Ross."

He stopped dead in his tracks and looked at your with his mouth dropped open. It was impossible to miss or ignore the implications of your words that time. "____-"

But before he could go on, the door violently opened to show Nakia there with a couple of blankets. She tossed one at each of you and spoke curtly. "The King is dead."

Your jaw dropped and you looked over at Everett.

"Come with me. Unless you'd like to join him?"

In record time, both you and Everett threw the blankets over your shoulders and ran after Nakia as she sprinted down the halls. At one point you had to press against the wall to prevent being seen before Nakia continued on her path. Soon you were sneaking out a hidden panel door and into the fresh night air. Nakia continued to lead the way, down a dirt path barely lit by the moonlight, large jungle foliage providing cover for your group. She quickly explained what had happened and your stomach dropped to your feet. You had warned T'Challa not to engage your brother and now there would be little to stop him.

You could hear quiet voices up ahead and braced yourself for whatever might be ahead while also subtly moving in front of Everett. He glanced over at you and raised his eyebrows.

"We have no idea who's up ahead and I hate to say it, but when was the last time you fought hand-to-hand?"

He just nodded his head as Nakia pulled back a branch to reveal that the voices belonged to Shuri and an older woman, no doubt the Queen Mother. They both looked up startled and the Queen Mother pulled out a weapon to protect her daughter, instantly relaxing once they saw it was Nakia. She then glanced at you and Everett.

"Who are they?"

"This is Agent _____ _____. She saved my life in Korea. And this is Agent Everett Ross," she continued in Xhosa, "he is her boss but T'Challa brought him along as he believes they are in love."

"One-sided," you commented in Xhosa. "I can promise you he does not feel the same."

Nakia blushed, forgetting that you could understand her. The Queen Mother sized you up. "You speak Xhosa?"

You let out a deep breath. "Yes, Your Grace. I- I am the daughter of Prince N'Jobu and the sister of the man who challenged your son for the throne. I advised your son against speaking to my brother and instead remove him from the country or allow me to do so. It breaks my heart to know he didn't listen. I am so sorry for your loss."

She held her head up but couldn't help her lower lip quivering at the ugly truth of her son being dead. "Thank you, Agent ____. It eases my heart to see you are not like your brother."

You gave her a small smile and bowed your head. Nakia placed her hand on Shuri's shoulder. "Wait here. I will be right back."

She disappeared silently into the night, leaving the four of you to stand around awkwardly. Without realizing it, you reached behind you to feel for the bullet hole that wasn't there. It kept striking you as odd and Shuri noticed.

"The feeling will pass soon enough."

"Easy for you to say. You grew up in this world." Pulling your hand away, you looked at your fingers that should have been covered in blood. "But to think how I should be dead at this very moment and I'm not? It's extremely surreal."

Everett placed his hand on your arm. "I'm glad you're not. This isn't easy for me to admit, but I didn't handle you being shot very well."

You could feel a blush creep into your face. "Oh really?"

He cleared his throat, "yeah, I- uh, I wasn't ready to be without my partner."

Shuri had a smile grow across her face as she watched you two talk and you did your best to ignore it. "Hey now, there are some perfectly good agents that could have taken my spot."

"If you're referring to Josh...."

You laughed, "I was going to say you could always hire Agent Carter back."

Everett frowned at the name. "She's probably too busy hiding all over the world with Captain America. Besides, I prefer your company."

You blushed harder and looked down at your hands. Before the moment could become too much, Nakia came back to the group holding something close to her chest. 

"Let's get going."

Nakia led the way and you and Everett brought up the rear, staying alert and checking your surroundings for any unusual sounds or movements. The moon lit your way as you pushed past plants and stepped over roots poking up from the ground. A couple of hours passed before the jungle gave way to a mountain side, a pathway far more clear for you to follow. Your group moved into more of a cluster rather than a line, with Shuri staying close to her mother. Nakia looked down into her hands and you saw a faint purple glow.

"Is that-"

"The heart-shaped herb? Yes. Your father told you of it?"

You nodded your head as Everett looked over. "Heart-shaped herb?"

"It gives whoever takes it heightened abilities," you answered.

"It's what made T'Challa so strong," the pain was unmistakable in Nakia's voice.

"Nakia," the Queen Mother spoke up. Nakia hung back to speak with her as you and Everett took a few steps ahead to give them a private moment.

"Where are we heading?" Everett whispered to you.

You sighed, thinking about what you learned as a child. "If I remember the stories my father told me correctly, we are heading to Jabari Land. I don't know who's in charge, but it won't matter. They decided years ago when Wakanda was first founded to live separate from the other tribes. From what my father has said, they don't tend to get involved very often and are closed off."

He nodded at your assessment as the other three women joined you once again. But you barely made it more than two steps before you could hear people grunting. Whirling around, you came face to face with members of the Jabari tribe coming out of the shadows to surround your group. You turned so your back was against the others in your group and you felt Everett grab your arm protectively.

"It'll be ok," you whispered to him.

"Are you sure?"

All you could do was look at Everett as the tribe moved in closer.


	6. A Miracle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader, Everett, and the remaining royal family come across a welcome surprise in Jabari Land.

You stood in an intimidating room of the Jabari Tribe, in front of a stone etched throne where the leader of the Jabari Tribe sat looking over your group. He was a large man, dressed in leather and fur to combat the cold climate of the mountain tops. There was no smile on his face as he glared at each of you in turn and you knew it would not be easy to earn this man to your cause. 

The silence barely had a chance to marinate before the Queen Mother stepped forward. With trembling lips, she spoke. "My son... was murdered in ritual combat."

The man didn't even flinch. "Were the odds fair?"

"Yes, but-"

He cut Nakia off, "so it was less a murder than a defeat."

"Do not rub our noses in it!" Shuri chastised. 

"Silence!" A beat, "I make the pronouncements here, girl."

Everett cleared his throat and you shot him a look to stay silent. He barely glanced at you, thinking his authority as CIA gave him a right to speak. "Well, uh, your highness, the new king-"

The man cut him off with a series of grunts, his men joining in each time Everett tried to open his mouth. "You cannot talk! One more word and I will feed you to my children."

You heard Everett gulp at the threat before the man gave a small smirk.

"I am kidding. We are vegetarians."

You felt the Queen Mother repressing an eye roll while Everett relaxed considerably next to you. The man began to giggle at his own joke and you decided that it was time for you to intercede. You took a step forward and spoke in Xhosa, "I am ______, daughter of Prince N’Jobu. Please, we are in great need of your help. My brother is a very dangerous man and will destroy everything you hold dear."

The silence that followed your statement weighed like a lead vest over the room. Before the Jabari tribe could gather themselves, Nakia stepped up next to you. "Great Gorilla, M'Baku," she then dropped to her knees and opened her hands to show the heart-shaped herb she had brought. "This is why we are here. To offer this to you. An outsider sits on our throne. One that _____ here has explained to us exactly how dangerous he really is. Only you can stop him."

M'Baku looked over at you before looking around the room. He stood up slowly and the Queen Mother knelt beside Nakia, followed by the remainder of your group. M'Baku took a step forward. "Come with me."

You and Everett immediately moved out of the way so he could walk past and your group quickly followed behind. Back out into the snowy mountain side, your group struggled to keep up with M'Baku's large strides. He lead you to a small cavern in the side of one of the mountains were two men stood guard. Inside the cavern, lit by torches, was.....

The Queen Mother gasped while Nakia whispered, "impossible!"

Half buried in the snow, being tended to by two doctors, was T'Challa! He was clearly beaten to hell and unconscious. The three women of your group raced to his side, his mother placing a gentle hand on his head. You pulled Everett to the side and behind M'Baku to give them space. T'Challa may have been your cousin, but you didn't know him well enough to take a place at his side.

"Is is breathing?" Nakia wondered.

"He's in a coma," M'Baku answered. "Barely clinging to life. One of our fishermen found him at the edge of the River Border."

"Why is he in the snow?!" Shuri questioned.

"It is the only thing keeping him from joining the ancestors."

"We need to get him to my lab, I can heal him there."

"If you take him, he will be dead within seconds."

The was a pause before the Queen Mother got an idea. "Nakia, the herb."

She quickly handed it over and they began the preparations to feed the herb to T'Challa. They then began to quickly cover him in snow and then chant over his body. You grabbed Everett's arm and gently turned him to face away from the ritual. There was a calming quiet that followed by someone for gasping for air. Whirling around, you saw Nakia and the Queen Mother helping T'Challa into a sitting position. Your hands flew to your mouth as T'Challa asked for a blanket.

Soon he was dried off of the snow, properly dressed, and everyone was back in the Jabari throne room. Nakia was explaining to everyone how your brother had the heart shaped herb garden burned down.

“Of course he did,” Everett spoke up. “That’s what he was trained to do. His unit used to work with the CIA to destabilize foreign governments. They would drop off the grid and strike during a transition, like an election or the death of a monarch.”

“That would explain why he waited so long to strike,” you chimed in. “The death of your father wasn’t too long ago and everyone with a television would have heard. Our father told us what happens when a new king takes his place and N'Jadaka knew it was the perfect window. And unlike any other time he's helped overthrow a government, this is personal for him. He took our father's death badly, blaming everyone in Wakanda for abandoning us. And now he has the full support of your government, unlimited access to vibranium, and Shuri's lab. If he gets his forces outside the borders, the entire world may fall to him. Your technology is unmatched in the world. Sure, Tony Stark is damn smart and the Avengers well stocked, but it's nothing compare to what I've only glimpsed at."

T'Challa mulled your words over as he looked at his mother and sister. He spoke to Nakia, "you must get them out of Wakanda safely."

"What?" The Queen Mother looked shocked at her son's words.

"What about you?" Shuri locked eyes with him.

"The challenge will have to continue. You must leave. It is my duty to keep you safe."

"If he gets a hold of my designs, nowhere will be safe." Shuri pulled out a necklace that had silver looking claws all over it. She placed it around her brother's neck. "The Black Panther lives. And when he fights for the fate of Wakanda, I will be right there beside him."

"As will I," voiced Nakia.

"And me as well, Your Grace," you volunteered.

"I'm in, too," Everett chimed in and everyone turned to look at him. "What? You're going to need all the help you can get."

You couldn't help but smile at him as T'Challa cleared his throat. "May I have a moment alone with M'Baku?"

Everyone began to file out and you fell in step with Everett. "So you're going to help them?"

"You seem surprised by that," he glanced over at you and you could see a slight blush in his cheeks. "I can't let you fight alone."

"This is different. I'm a trained former marine and this is my family that is involved. On both sides of the fence. If I can stop my brother from carrying out his plan - no matter the cost - then I owe it to my cousin to try. To help him get his country back."

"No matter the cost?" Everett stopped and turned you to face him. "What if that cost is your life?"

You locked eyes with him and took a deep breath. "Then it will cost my life. One person should not stand in the way of keeping the world safe. My father and brother wanted a better world for our people. Which I agree with. But not at the stakes they propose. And I won't let Erik succeed."

Everett stepped so he was a few inches away from you, "_____, please don't do this."

Before you could respond, T'Challa came into the room. "Mother, M'Baku will allow you to stay here under his protection until the battle is over. The rest of us must return to the lab."

The Queen Mother bid everyone farewell, even surprising you by giving you a hug. "Please stay safe. When this is all over, I would like for us to become the family we should have been. You have proven yourself to the family and your country."

"I would like that as well, Your Grace. Thank you."

Back out on the mountain side, your group began the long hike to the lab's location. T'Challa, Shuri, and Nakia began to form a plan with you occasionally chiming in with what you could remember about your brother and his fighting technique. More and more of the plan saw you and Everett fighting away from each other and you could see him frown at this development. Once you were close enough, your group split off with T'Challa heading off alone to face your brother. 

The remaining four of you snuck into Shuri's lab where she brought up a sand table to reveal some weapons and two uniforms. "Put those on, girls."

"I'm not a Dora." Nakia grumbled.

"Just put it on! It's armor!"

You grabbed the spare outfit and ran behind a corner to quickly throw it on. When you came back around, Shuri was putting on a kimoyo bead bracelet on his wrist and then a communication bead behind his ear. 

"You will fly the Royal Talon Flyer and shoot down any planes trying to leave."

"What?!"

"You were a great pilot. Don't worry. It's just like riding a hoverbike."

"You guys have hoverbikes?"

"Yeah, that's not a thing for us, Shuri." You chuckled.

She just rolled her eyes and handing you a beautiful sword. "If T'Challa cannot get close to Killmonger, you will need a weapon when you face him."

"Thank you." The weight of the sword felt right and you gripped it tightly.

The two other girls ran out of the room and Everett grabbed your arm as you turned to go. "Please. Please, _____, don't go out there. Stay in here with me. Stay safe."

You turned to look at him and could see the pure pain in his face at the thought of not seeing you again if you died out there. And the sudden thought that you may never see Everett again was too much. With your free hand, you grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him in for a quick kiss. "I'm sorry, but I have to do this."

Everett watched as you ran out of the room to find your brother, the feel of you still on his lips.


	7. Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Erik Killmonger meet on the battlefield.

You raced through the winding hallways of Shuri's lab, trying to find Nakia and Shuri to help them fight. The sounds of jets taking off vibrated through your body and you knew you had to be close. You barely burst through the door in time to see the Royal Talon take off in a rush after the other planes. Everett wasted no time in his objective.

As you looked around you could see the whole area was in the chaos of a battle. A jet and the Boarder Tribe were fighting in the nearby field against your cousin with the help of some of the Dora Milaje. And were those rhinos in armor?! The remaining Dora were fight with Okoye against your brother by the opening of the vibranium mine. He had managed to get his hands on one of the black panther suits. The Dora had him in a lock with their spears and were trying to take him down. You raced over to help right as an energy blast radiated from his suit, sending group flying.

"N'Jadaka, stop!"

Erik paused and slowly turned at your voice as his mask pulled away to reveal his face. "_____, is that really you? Girl, whatcha doin' out here. Come to help your big brother?"

"Hardly. I'm here because you shot me in the back in Korea. Our cousin was kind enough to take me here to save my life."

"Oh, so that was you pushing people out of my way back there. Never figured you'd get messed up with the CIA."

"I work for them, as a top agent. I joined after I retired as a marine. Spent every free moment I had looking for you, but you always managed to stay one step ahead."

He smiled at you and you were reminded of your father. "I tried looking for you, as well. Knew we needed to stick together, that your big brother should protect you. But I guess you don't need protecting."

"No. I haven't for a long time." You held out your empty hand in his direction. "Let's go, Erik. This isn't our home, this isn't where we belong. Father may have wanted to bring us here, but that was long ago. We need to go back to the states."

Erik's eyes turned hard. "No, this is our home now. I'm the king and we're going to make a lot of changes, just like dad would have wanted."

"Dad was a traitor to his country and I won't have the blood of the innocent on my hands."

"He wasn't a traitor!"

"Yes, he was. I was there when he died. I heard what he did and what he tried to do to Uncle James. T'Chaka killed him to save another." Anger was radiating off your brother. The death of your father had always been a touchy subject for Erik when you were younger. But you pressed on, knowing this had to get out into the open. "Dad teamed up with Klaue to help him steal vibranium and told him where to strike at the border. He helped kill his own country men."

Erik exploded. "Liar!"

Before you knew it, he was leaping in the air at you! Nakia had warned you that your brother had taken the heart shaped herb as part of the ritual to become king, but you had no idea what it would do to him. You had never seen the effects in person as you hadn't paid attention to T'Challa's fighting in Germany. This was nothing you had ever trained for, but you still were going to try your damndest to bring your brother down. 

You raced towards him, leaping as well only closer to the ground. Sailing underneath him, you rolled once you hit the dirt and popped up on the other side of where your brother landed. You held your sword in front of you at the ready, feet apart to help your balance.

"Erik, don't do this. I don't want to hurt you and father wouldn't want us fighting."

He held two weapons in his own hands, "the only one who'd get hurt is you. I was with a JSOC team."

"So I heard. But I've fought the Winter Soldier, so you better be bringing your damn 'A' game."

"I took down our cousin. You'll be a breeze." 

“I would feel threatened by that, but as you saw T’Challa’s still breathing. Looks like you’re getting rusty.”

He growled at you over the insult and charged once more, this time staying on the ground. You met him head on and the weapons sent a loud ring over the land. Father had trained you both well and the different branches of the military gave you each your own flair. But Erik had the herb flowing through his veins and you soon saw that his stamina would outlast yours. And with that damn vibranium outfit, you were hard pressed to find a weak spot. 

He came at you once more, swinging his weapon at your head. You raised your weapon in time to block the blow. Before you could push him away, a blast of waves made him grab at his head. Looking up, you saw Shuri pointing her gauntlets at him. Nakia raced over and used her weapons to instantly disarm him. It was impressive how well the two worked together. 

Your brother lashed out with his vibranium claws and got Nakia on the thigh. She cried out in pain and he tossed her across the field. Spinning towards him, you brought your weapon down on his arm, only to be thwarted by the Black Panther suit. He grabbed the blade with his hand and pulled it from your grasp. Erik raised his hand to strike at you once more, but Shuri was back on him with her gauntlets and rendering him defenseless. 

"Grab the necklace, _____!"

You reached for his neck but Erik was quicker, grabbing your around the throat and tossing you aside like a doll. He then lunged at Shuri, crushing her gauntlets in his hands. You were back up in an instant and tackled your brother to the ground, rolling away from the princess. Erik used his strength to kick you off his body and rolled to pick up one of his discarded weapons. He slowly walked towards you, his mask now pulled away to show his face once more.

"Last chance, sis. I can make you head of the Dora as you're a damn good fighter."

You quickly pulled yourself up into a fighting stance. "The Dora already have a leader and I can never be as good as Okoye. And I can never betray my family, no matter what imaginary slight you think we've been caused." 

"The world took everything away from me! It even took you, my own twin!"

"You never lost me, Erik. But you will lose yourself if you continue down this path. Come home. Now."

"No!" He lunged at you and was suddenly airborne sideways. Doing a double take, you saw that T'Challa had tackled your brother and now both men were sailing over the side of the mine, down into darkness. 

"Erik!"

"Brother!" Shuri shouted at the same time. You both raced over to the edge and looked down, unable to follow their path as the fought and fell into the darkness. 

A very painfully long silence fell upon the both of you as you looked into the mine. Finally, as you were about to ask Shuri if it was possible for the herb to keep them alive, you heard T'Challa over the comms.

"Shuri."

"Brother!" She cried in relief.

"Turn on the train on the lower track."

"But then you won't have a suit!"

"Neither will he."

"Ok," Shuri reached for her band of kimoyo beads and with that short conversation you knew that you had seen the last of your brother. Erik would never take T'Challa alive and that meant there was only one way to stop your brother. Shuri reached out and wiped a tear that had fallen onto your cheek. "I am so sorry about all of this."

You shook your head. "It's not your fault, nor do I blame your father. Erik...." you sighed, "he just always took the world too personally. But he was ready to kill me, his own twin. He raised his weapon at my head. I can't pretend he's still the same kid I grew up with and ignore what needs to be done to stop this war."

Shuri gave you a quick hug. "I know this is hard for you, but...."

"My brother is who he is. But for now let's focus on helping the Dora Milaje. The Border Tribe is getting a little cocky out there."

Shuri smiled at you and you both raced off to the battle in the field, stopping to make sure Nakia was ok from her wounds. The battle was in full swing and you each picked up fallen weapons before meeting the first enemy you came across. The ringing of vibranium colliding sang over the field along with shouts in both English and Xhosa. 

In your ear you could hear Everett asking Shuri for help occasionally, followed by a voice from the lab declaring that the glass wall was being breached. She watched your eyes grow wide and grabbed your hand. "Go. If it seems like he won't make it in time, pull him out of the lab."

You didn't need to be told twice and you raced back in the direction you had once come from. The hallway didn't seem to want to end before you blissfully burst through the lab doors to find Everett inside a simulator. Across from him was a Wakanda fighter jet trying to blast the glass apart to get to him. You twirled the spear in your hand and pointed it right at the enemy. Everything after that seemed to happen in slow motion. 

You heard an explosion come from the simulator as it disappeared from around Everett. He dropped onto the ground and shouted in victory to Shuri over the comms before scrambling to his feet. He barely manage to get out of the way before the glass shattered apart. Everett did a double take at seeing you in the room before you took aim and fired the handheld sonic cannon at the jet. A blue light hit the plane and caused it to explode, throwing you and Everett back into the room.

"Oh my god," you groaned in pain on the floor. "I had no idea it would be that powerful."

"Yeah, not exactly your best idea." Everett grumbled from where he laid next to you.

"Ok, you know what-" but you were cut off by Everett pulling you in for a kiss. You sighed and leaned into the kiss, letting him deepen it before pulling apart.

Both of you were breathing hard as Everett spoke. "Don't ever do something that stupid again. I won't lose you."

You couldn't help the smile. "Yes, boss."

He rolled his eyes. "And that's the first thing we're fixing when we get back. You'll have to be in someone else's unit."

It hurt to know you would no longer be going on missions with Everett, but your heart soared at the same time. If he was removing you it meant he felt the same and that kiss was a promise of something more. "Yessir."

You could tell he wanted to be annoyed with you, but a smile won on his face before you kissed him again. 

"C'mon. We need to find out what happened out there."

"Right behind you."


	8. Goodbye, Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader bids farewell to one family while gaining another.

“You’re leaving?” Everett watched as you held up a ceremonial gown as you faced a mirror.

“Only for one night. We’ll be back in the morning and then T’Challa will take us back to the states.” You gently put the dress down and turned to face Everett. It was still so hard to believe in less than a few days so much had changed and happened between you both. Everett looked worried at you leaving his sight for the first time in days, so you decided to tease him. "Don't worry. I'm sure Shuri will leave an adequate babysitter for you."

Everett tried to frown at you, but a smirk won out as he walked over to you and put his hands on your waist. A smile graced your face as he pulled you close. "And you say I'm a smart ass."

"I never claimed I wasn't." You wrapped your arms around his neck, a nervous and joyous feeling in your stomach as you held each other. This was all still so new and yet very familiar. "I know you're nervous about me being away. Especially since you and I both dodged death a handful of times each since Korea. But I will be with my family and we won't be gone long."

Everett sighed and placed his forehead against yours. "I guess I'll have to get used to this regardless. Now that we won't be on the same team, we'll be spending more time apart on missions. But I still wish I could go with you today."

"I know, but at least I won't be alone. I'll have the rest of my new family with me, Okoye, Nakia, and the leaders of the other tribes. We'll be safe." You planted a kiss on the tip of his nose and turned around to continue packing your small bag.

"Where exactly are you going?"

"I'm not sure. All I know is that my brother told T'Challa he wanted to be buried in the ocean like our ancestors." You stopped packed and placed your hands on your bag to steady yourself. It was still so hard to believe that your brother, your twin, your other half, was gone for good. All because your father betrayed his country. You wanted to hate and be angry at both men, but all that would serve you was wasted energy needed elsewhere. You could mourn in anger later. 

Everett came up behind you and gently placed his hands on your arms. "_____, I'm so sorry about your loss. I can't even begin to imagine how it must feel."

"N'Jadaka and I were so close as kids. Unsurprising considering we were twins. We could count on each other for anything and to have each other's back. When mom died, he found me crying in our closet. Instead of trying to pull me out, he just grabbed my blanket and doll and leaned up next to me. Dad found us asleep in there, tear stains on our cheek. When dad died, I took him outside and to the nearest park so he could scream it all out. We never had to utter a word; we instantly knew what the other needed. And now that he's gone I feel the hole he's left behind. But it's not nearly as big as it should be. I lost him long ago when we were separated and we grew up into two wildly different adults. Today I mourn the kid I remember and the brother I should have had."

"You don't need to be strong for me. I know you must be in a lot of pain. It's ok. It's going to be ok." He wrapped his arms around you from behind and you felt yourself beginning to shake from the sobs you were trying to keep inside. "You two may have changed, but he was still your twin."

That broke you and Everett pulled you in close as you began to cry over the brother you lost so long ago. He hated seeing you in so much pain but he also knew it was necessary for you to let all of this raw emotion out in order to begin to heal. You may never forgive your father or your brother, but that didn't mean you couldn't keep loving them for who they had once been to you.

Everett sat you down on a bench and held you against him as you cried out all the years of built up pain. Finally your eyes ran dry and he gently wiped the remaining tears away with his hands. You sniffed. "Thank you, Everett. I can't even imagine how much harder this would be for me today if you weren't here. I'm really glad my cousin let you tag along."

He let out a chuckled as he held you close to him. "Guess I was able to intimidate my way in."

That caused you to bust out laughing. "Oh yeah. Clearly T'Challa was afraid of what wrath you might bring down upon him."

Everett just smiled and pulled you in for a kiss. You allowed yourself to get lost in the moment and placed a hand on his cheek. He sighed and pulled away. "I guess I better let you get going before Okoye comes in here and threatens my life."

You gave a small smile. "I would never allow that."

Everett gave you one last kiss before leaving you to pack. Soon you were on a plane with T'Challa, Shuri, the Queen Mother Ramonda, Nakia, Okoye, M'Baku, and the leaders of the other tribes. Near the back of the jet, in a beautiful box, laid your brother's ashes. You slowly approached the ornate box and placed a hand on the lid. Behind you T'Challa was carefully approaching you. The two of you had not spoken since the war had ended, though that was mostly due to T'Challa having to take his country back. Still he worried you may harbor some resentment towards him for killing your brother.

Before he could even open his mouth to let you know he was there, you spoke. "It's ok, Your Grace. I'm not angry with you. Yes, I wish there had been another way. But he tried to kill me himself on the field so I cannot blame you for what had to be done."

He nodded his head as he moved to stand next to you. "What will you do now?"

You sighed deeply. "Go home. The CIA is probably losing their minds about how two of their top agents basically disappeared off the face of the Earth. Especially after one was shot in the back. We'll brief them as much as we can without exposing your country. Then I will tell them the truth of who I am."

"You may lose your job if you do that."

"I may," you nodded your head, "or the may just keep tabs on me at first. Either way, it won't be easy."

"And Agent Ross?"

"Harder to say. He has been with the agency longer than I have. I know he will keep your secret if you ask him, but I cannot guarantee for how long."

Out of the corner of your eye you could see T'Challa smirk. "I was referring to him and you. Should we expect a government agent as an in-law someday?"

You couldn't help but laugh. "Let's not kick us down the aisle just yet. Everett and I may have known each other for years, but this will be very new and odd for us for the time being. To go from boss/agent to-" you blushed as you searched for the right word "to something more is a little strange. First we need to figure out if I still have a place at the CIA. Then we'll go from there."

T'Challa chuckled, "well you are both always welcome to come back for a visit. My home is yours. You may have lost your brother today, but you still have a family with us."

"Thank you, T'Challa." You pressed your lips together and then blurted out, "I know about Barnes."

T'Challa did a double take and glanced back at his family. "Did Shuri-"

"No, she didn't tell me. While I was racing through the lab during the war I came across his tube."

The silence was painful between you two as he realized you knew the royal family was hiding a war criminal. "And Agent Ross?"

"Doesn't know. I don't like keeping secrets from him so just tell me one thing: why?"

T'Challa took a deep breath before answering. "After Germany, I followed Captain Rogers and Mr. Stark to Siberia."

"Yes, I remember that. It's how we gained Zemo."

He nodded his head. "As I was detaining him, Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes came out of the bunker. They explained what had happened to Barnes over the years and I offered to bring them here. Shuri has been working non-stop to deprogram Barnes so that he may once again lead a normal life."

"You are a remarkable man, dear cousin. You bring in a known assassin to help him find a better life and you bring in an injured CIA agent even though it could mean exposure of your world." You turned to face your cousin and gave him a smile. "Don't worry. Everett will never find out from me."

T'Challa returned the smile and pulled you in for a hug. "Thank you. I hope we will not have to keep this secret for long."

It wasn't long before your group landed, settled into the property to be used for that night, and on the nearby beach as you carried the box. A large boat waited at the dock and your party boarded with one of T'Challa's guards taking the wheel. Once you were well out into the ocean, the engine was killed and everyone gathered at the front of the boat. The tribe elders began to chant as you took your brother's box to the railing. As T'Challa began to speak, you removed the lid.

"Today we lay to rest a member of the royal family, N'Jadaka son of Prince N'Jobu. He was well loved by his father, his mother, and his twin sister, but that love could not save him from believing the entire world had been out to wrong him. We ask Bast to watch over him now and reunite him with his parents. And we ask his sister today to help mend the bridge our fathers burned."

With his last words, T'Challa watched as you poured your brother's ashes into the ocean. As they fell, you were greeted with flashes of your childhood: Erik teaching you to ride a bike. Erik letting you dress him up when no one else was around. You and Erik learning how to make cookies from your mother.

A tear fell down your cheek. "Goodbye, dear brother. May Bast watch over you now."


	9. Next Level

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Everett's life one year after the events in Wakanda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for being patient for me to release this final chapter. My aunt passed away recently and I just couldn't focus enough to give this story its proper conclusion. 
> 
> Thank you all who read this story as well as my others. If you are an Everett/Reader fan, I do have a few more under my list. You can also find me on tumblr @my-marvel-musings to request more of them or any other pairing I have listed on my page. You can even request someone not on my list and I'll see if I can do it!
> 
> You guys are the best!

"I really don't know how many times I have to tell you, Stark. I don't work for you, I work for Fury and Coulson."  You were furiously typing on your computer, trying desperately to get your paperwork done by the end of the day. However, Tony Stark was apparently bored and felt bothering the new SHIELD agent was the perfect way to pass the time.

"C'mon, _____. It'll take five minutes! Just a few questions."

"I don't have five minutes, Stark! I need to get this paperwork done or I'll never get out of here in time-" you stopped yourself short.

Tony latched on to the new morsel you just gave him. "In time? In time for what?"

"Never you mind. Just leave me to my work so I can get the hell out of here." You hated those days where Director Coulson told you that you would need to work in the Avengers compound. Most of the Avengers had scattered after the incident in Germany, but Tony Stark, James Rhodes, and Vision were still here. Well, the last one only occasionally. He would take frequent trips throughout the year and while Stark never let on that he knew where Vision went, you had a feeling that wasn't completely true. And with a nearly empty compound, Stark had far too much time on his hands.

"Does this involve a certain CIA agent?" Tony moved so he was sitting on the edge of your desk across from you. "I figured the government would have banned you two from hanging out."

"Just because I can no longer work for the CIA, does not mean I'm banned from talking to the agents on a personal level. We just can't talk about work."

"How romantic." You rolled your eyes. "So is it true? You're T'Challa's cousin?"

You looked up and blinked at Stark, not expecting that question. Then you narrowed your eyes in suspicion, wondering where this was going. "Yes, Stark. I am Wakanda royalty."

"So is that why you and Ross aren't public yet?"

You felt your eye twitch from annoyance. Of course he would find a way to talk about something that was none of his business. "Stark, not that it's any of your business, but  _if_ I were dating Agent Ross - IF - it really isn't necessary to proclaim the relationship to the world. As in, again, my love life isn't really any of your damn business."

"Normally I would agree, but you two have known each other for five years prior and no longer working together. There's no need to hide in the shadows." He smirked in your direction.

"Aaaaannnndddd we're done. Goodnight, Stark." You quickly packed up your laptop and stormed out of the shared office. That damn man always knew how to press your buttons. You'd have to tell Coulson it would be a while before you would work at this location again.

Back at your apartment, you put away your equipment from work and hopped into the shower to rinse off the long drive and even longer day of Stark bothering the hell out of you. Tonight was promising to be a relaxing night and maybe a visit as well. Assuming Everett was back from his mission by now.

It had been hard at first when you both returned from Wakanda. Feelings had to be put on hold and placed aside while the CIA bombarded both of you for any information regarding the mysterious country. Everett took the easy route, saying that in exchange for saving your life he would remain quiet about what he had witness. Though he did promise it was only for a short while, as T'Challa had plans to speak to the UN personally about what had happened and what their country really was.

You say it was the easy route, but that was only because in comparison to the route you now had to take, Everett's hadn't cost himself much. A week on suspension and then back to work after everything was cleared up at the UN. You, however.....

Secretary Ross was the first to greet you and Everett when you walked back into the CIA headquarters. Your cousin had been kind enough to take you to your apartment secretly at night so you could have one night before the government would descend upon you both. Unfortunately, you and Everett spent the night going over what you would say and how you would navigate your feelings towards each other if you weren't allowed to transfer to another team. In the morning you had found yourself asleep on the couch, a note from Everett explaining he had to leave because the Secretary was meeting them that morning and of course he didn't have a suit at your place.

While it was definitely smart for you two to arrive separately, you secretly kicked yourself in the ass for wasting a whole night with him. And now you were going straight into the lion's den. 

Secretary Ross hadn't wasted any time before pouncing on you when you walked through the doors. Everett immediately declared his vow and handed Ross a letter from T'Challa himself. The Secretary had a few choice words and just like that, Everett was dismissed for the day with the condition of being on suspension  _and_ under surveillance as no one knew what really when on in Wakanda but since vibranium came from there, several dangerous people desperately wanted to find out.

You were not so lucky. As Secretary Ross laid into you, a quiet calm covered your face as you waited for him to shout himself stupid. Finally, he realized you weren't responding to him in the way he had wanted. Hell, you hadn't responded to him at all.

"Are you even paying attention to anything I have said, Agent ____?!"

"I have, sir. But seeing as I am the cousin of King T'Challa, I have opted not to utter one word about what I have seen or what has been done to me while I was gone. Not until the king has done so."

The silence that followed your statement was deafening. And then the room exploded, agents scattering to find recording equipment while Ross laid into you. In the end, it hadn't mattered that you and Everett had feelings for each other. Hell, you didn't even have to bring that part up. You had been placed on immediate suspension and surveillance until it could be determined that you were able to continue to serve the government. And when it was decided that it would be a conflict of interest to have a member of the royal family in their ranks, SHIELD stepped up and offered you a position. 

You were able to remain friends with Josh and Stacy, occasionally grabbing a drink when your schedules allowed it. Sometimes Maria Hill would join you, sometimes it was one of their new agents, but usually it was just you three. And when Stacy asked why Everett never joined you - with that shit eating grin of hers - you just returned the smirk and claimed ignorance as to why she would even ask, even though you both knew that when the night was over you would either head to his place or he'd already be waiting at yours.

Which brought you back to the present. As you got dressed in a short dress and sprayed a bit of your favorite perfume, you hoped for what seemed like the hundredth time that day that Everett would be back from his mission and on his way to see you. He had been gone over a week, on a random tip that Captain America and crew had been spotted somewhere in East Europe. Hopefully there had been some truth to the rumor.

As you reached for your bedroom door, you could have sworn you heard faint music. You carefully opened the door - years of CIA training making you slightly paranoid - only to relax once you recognized the song. Waltzing down the hallway to your living room, you peeked around the corner to find Everett in your kitchen cooking a meal for you both. That had been one of the pleasant surprises you had discovered when you two started dating: Everett was an amazing cook. 

While he had his back turned, you snuck up and wrapped your arms around his waist. He jumped slightly but relaxed when he glanced over his shoulder at you, a smirk on his face. "Hey you."

"Hey you. Didn't think it was possible to sneak up on Agent Ross."

"Guess I was so focused on the task at hand." He twisted in your arms so he could give you a quick kiss before going back to the meal. "How was your day?"

You groaned and let go of Everett long enough to pour yourself a glass of wine. "One of these days Stark's going to find himself buried alive. And then we'll really see how well his tech can help him them."

Everett chuckled. "I don't envy your new babysitting gig."

Rolling your eyes, you took a seat at your table as Everett served the food. A comfortable silence came across the table as you ate and you realized how much you missed this: the domestic nights just the two of you. Nights like these made you hate what you did for a living. But you would never quit any more than Everett would. This job was a part of who you were now, even if your boss had changed.

Back in your living room, the two of you settled into a comfortable position in each others arms as the music continued to play throughout your apartment. Sighing contently from the food and the company, you leaned back against Everett's chest as he wrapped his arms tighter around you.

"So," he cleared his throat, "I was thinking-"

"Uh oh. Hope you didn't hurt yourself," you teased.

"Ha ha." He kissed the top of your head. "No, I was thinking about this. About tonight. About how it seems we never get enough of these."

You sighed deeply, "I was thinking the exact same thing. Aside from going on vacation, there's not much we can do about it. Our jobs are demanding as hell."

"Well that's just it. We can do something about it." Confused, you moved so you could look at his face as he talked. There was a slight blush to his cheeks, but he continued on. "I spoke with T'Challa and he would be happy to welcome us back for a trip if we would like. You haven't really seen your family since we left."

You couldn't help the smile. "It has been a while and that would make for a great trip."

Everett cleared his throat and continued on. "And I was thinking.... once we got back, that-" he took a deep breath, "that it was time for us to take the next step. Make it officially and have you move into my place."

You blinked, unsure if you had heard him correctly. "I-I'm sorry, did you just ask me to move in with you?"

Everett ran his hand over his face, taking your reaction as a 'no'. "Yes. I felt since we had known each other for over five years before we-"

He was cut off by you crushing his mouth with a kiss. "Of course I will, Ev! I was actually worried you didn't feel the same way as me or that this was too much work."

Everett smile and caressed your face. "You're worth the effort. We knew how hard this would be with our jobs. At least this way, we'll be each other's home base."

"Always." You gave him a longer kiss. "I'll always be your home base."


End file.
